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The William H. Gross Collection: Important Hawaii Postage Stamps and Postal History continued...

1859-65 Numeral Issues (Scott 12-16)
Lot Sym. Lot Description  
41 ng Image1859, 1c Light Blue, Bluish White (12). Plate 2-A, Type IX (Westerberg Position 9), unused (no gum), huge margins, beautiful pastel Light Blue shade, clear impression

EXTREMELY FINE GEM. A SUPERB UNUSED EXAMPLE OF THE 1859 ONE-CENT LIGHT BLUE HAWAIIAN NUMERAL ISSUE.

The pastel shade, clear impression and semi-opaque paper of this stamp are characteristic of a particular group of early Numeral stamps, including the only known blocks of the 2c from Plate 1-A. We believe they originated from the same printing.

This stamp was the lead-off One-Cent Numeral in the Honolulu Advertiser sale, and it still ranks as the finest unused example we have ever encountered. The only one possible runner-up is the stamp in the Drucker collection, which our firm sold in 2003 (Sale 856, lot 755).

Ex Caspary, Ishikawa and Honolulu Advertiser. With 1995 P.F. certificate (Image)

Search for comparables at SiegelAuctions.com

$ 17,500.00

SOLD for $16,500.00
Will close during Public Auction
42 c Image1859, 2c Dark Blue, Comma after Cents” (13b). Plate 1-A, Type X (Westerberg Position 2), top sheet margin, other sides large to huge except where a bit irregular at left, dark shade and strong impression typical of First Printing, tied by manuscript Kau” cancellation and brownish-black Collector’s Office/Hilo. Hawaii” in oval handstamp on folded cover addressed with blue ink in Hawaiian to Levi Haalelea at Honolulu, pencil note inside indicates that the letter originated at Ninoles, slight toning

VERY FINE. ONE OF TWO RECORDED FULL COVERS BEARING A NUMERAL ISSUE FROM PLATE 1-A, AS WELL AS THE UNIQUE EXAMPLE OF THE COMMA AFTER CENTS” VARIETY ON COVER.

Before August 1859, Hawaiian inter-island mail was carried free of charge by schooners, and there was no charge for letters delivered locally. With the rise in inter-island correspondence came a greater need for collecting postage. In 1859 the postal laws were amended to include a 2c per half-ounce postage rate for inter-island letters (and 1c for printed matter), effective August 1. Drop letters left at and picked up at the same post office were not subject to postage, nor were consignee letters handled by ship captains, as long as they did not go through the post office.

The stamps available in 1859 were 5c and 13c denominations that were unsuitable for inter-island mail. In July 1859 the 1c and 2c Numeral stamps were put on sale through post offices. The stamps were printed from newspaper type on a small hand-operated Ruggles card press. The early printings were made at the offices of Henry M. Whitney’s newspaper, the Pacific Commercial Advertiser. Later printings were made by another private printer and at the Government Printing Office. The different settings of type are called Plates” by collectors, but the correct printer’s terminology would be typeset forms.”

The 1859 Numerals were printed in blue ink on bluish white paper. The 2c Blue was printed from Plate 1-A (and possibly two variations, 1-B and 1-C), Plate 3-A and 3-B. Each plate (or setting) comprised ten subjects, forming a complete pane. It is known that some, and possibly all, of the different Numeral stamps were issued in sheets of 50 (five impressions of the setting of ten).

The 1859 Blue Numeral Issue is quite rare on cover. No example of the 1c Blue has been found on cover, and it has been reported that approximately 15 covers exist with the 2c Blue (excluding fronts from the Catholic Mission correspondence).

This remarkable cover is an extremely early use of the Numeral issue. It is one of two complete covers known to us with a stamp from Plate 1-A and the only recorded example of the Comma after Cents” variety on cover. The other full cover and a front with 2c stamps from Plate 1-A were in the Pietsch collection (Shreves Philatelic Galleries, September 27-28, 1996, lots 1066 and 1069). This stamp and the one on the front show the characteristics we attribute to the First Printing: the Dark Blue shade and strong impression, and, in this Type X position, the Comma after Cents” variety. The other full cover is offered in this sale as lot 43, and the stamp on that cover shows a distinctly different shade and impression.

The four 2c Blue Numeral stamps with the Comma after Cents” variety known to us are: 1) Plate 1-A, Ty. X (Westerberg Position 2), tear at right, two holes repaired, ex Honolulu Advertiser; 2) Plate 1-A, Type X (Westerberg Position 2), on cover from Hilo to Honolulu, ex Honolulu Advertiser, the cover offered here; 3) Plate 1-A, Type X (Westerberg Postion 2), off cover, pen cancel, ex Crocker, Pietsch; and 4) Plate 3-A, Type I (Westerberg Position 3), ex Golden.

The cover is also interesting from a postal history perspective. With the introduction of inter-island postage rates and adhesive stamps, postmasters were instructed to cross the Hawaiian stamps...in ink” pending the distribution of cancelling devices. This is one of the few Kau” post office markings and the only one on cover. The Kau postmaster, Rev. W. C. Shipman, routed his mail through Hilo from January 1856 to September 1860, after which time the post office sent mails directly between Honolulu and Kau. On this cover, the Hilo office cancelled the stamp a second time with its oval Collector’s Office” handstamp.

The addressee, Liwai (Levi) Haalelea, was an important figure in Hawaiian history. His wife was Princess Kekauonohi, the granddaughter of Kamehameha I. She was one of the five wives of Kamehameha II and was present on the occasion of the famous meal at which the eating kapu was overturned and with it the entire kapu system in 1819. In 1828 she married Aaron Keliiahonui, son of Kaumualii, the last King of Kauai. One year after his death in 1849, she married Levi Haalelea. She died in Honolulu in June 1851.

Ex Honolulu Advertiser. With 1976 P.F. certificate (Image)

Search for comparables at SiegelAuctions.com

E. $ 30,000-40,000

SOLD for $18,000.00
Will close during Public Auction
43 c Image1859, 2c Blue, Bluish White (13). Plate 1-A, Type IV (Westerberg Position 8), ample margins all around, crisp shade, tied by red Postage Paid” oval handstamp on brown cover to J. C. McLean at street address in Honolulu, probably carried on an inter-island schooner and cancelled on arrival at Honolulu, professionally restored with edges resealed and small edge faults mended, pressed creases, but none of this cosmetic work affects the stamp, the overall appearance is beautiful

VERY FINE APPEARANCE. ONE OF TWO RECORDED FULL COVERS BEARING A NUMERAL ISSUE FROM PLATE 1-A, AND ONE OF THE FEW 1859 2-CENT BLUE NUMERAL COVERS EXTANT WITH THE RED HONOLULU POSTAGE PAID” OVAL TYING THE STAMP.

It has been reported that approximately 15 covers are known with the 2c Blue Numeral Issue (the 1c Blue is not recorded on cover). This beautiful cover is one of two complete covers known to us with a 2c Numeral from Plate 1-A. The other full cover is offered in lot 42. The third use of a 2c stamp from Plate 1-A is a front that was in the Pietsch collection (Shreves Philatelic Galleries, September 27-28, 1996, lot 1066). This stamp differs from the others in shade and impression.

Ex Seybold (backstamps), Admiral Harris and Pietsch (Image)

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E. $ 10,000-15,000

SOLD for $8,000.00
Will close during Public Auction
44 c Image1859, 2c Blue, Bluish White (13). Plate 3-B, Type VIII (Westerberg Position 8), large even margins, beautiful shade, very minor gum toning, tied by red Honolulu Hawaiian-Islands Jul. 2” circular datestamp on blue folded letter datelined at Kauhako [Kauako] June 28/60” from H. Clarke to Thomas Waterhouse at Honolulu, carried by the inter-island schooner Kekauluohi and cancelled on arrival at the Honolulu post office, small tear in file fold at top sealed with tape, minor stain could be easily treated

VERY FINE. AN OUTSTANDING NUMERAL ISSUE COVER AND ONE OF THE FINEST OF THE FEW KNOWN WITH THE 1859 2-CENT BLUE.

It has been reported that approximately 15 covers are known with the 2c Blue Numeral Issue (the 1c Blue is not recorded on cover). Only two or three have the Numeral stamp cancelled by the Honolulu circular datestamp.

This cover was the source of the Westerberg title page illustration. Ex Twigg-Smith and Honolulu Advertiser. With 1995 P.F. certificate (Image)

Search for comparables at SiegelAuctions.com

E. $ 10,000-15,000

SOLD for $8,000.00
Will close during Public Auction
45 c Image1859, 2c Blue, Bluish White (13). Plate 3-A, Type I (Westerberg Position 3), ample margins to just touching frameline, deep shade, pen cancel with vertical line and two squiggles at sides, not tied but properly used on cover addressed in the hand of Lucy Goodale Thurston to Ellen R. Goodale, probably mailed from Kailua-Kona, Hawaii, faint waterstaining

VERY FINE. ONE OF AN ESTIMATED FIFTEEN COVERS EXTANT WITH THE 1859 2-CENT BLUE NUMERAL.

The addressee, Ellen Rebecca (Whitmore) Goodale, was married to Warren Goodale. She was a teacher at a Cherokee school in Oklahoma when she married. She died at age 33 on February 22, 1861, about one year after receiving this letter. The writing on this cover is in the hand of Lucy Goodale Thurston.

Ex Honolulu Advertiser. With 1967 and 1995 P.F. certificates (Image)

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E. $ 4,000-5,000

SOLD for $2,600.00
Will close during Public Auction
46 ng Image1862, 2c Black, Greenish Blue (14). Plate 3-Gx, Type I (Westerberg Position 3), unused (no gum), large to huge margins, bright Robin’s Egg” Blue paper and crisp impression

EXTREMELY FINE GEM. A STUNNING UNUSED EXAMPLE OF THE 1862 2-CENT NUMERAL ON GREENISH BLUE PAPER. A DIFFICULT ISSUE TO FIND IN SUCH WONDERFUL CONDITION.

Ex Lichtenstein, Karasch, Ishikawa and Pietsch. With 1967 P.F. certificate (Image)

Search for comparables at SiegelAuctions.com

$ 8,000.00

SOLD for $6,750.00
Will close during Public Auction
47 c Image1862, 2c Black, Greenish Blue (14). Plate 3-Gx, Type VI, Position 6, 8mm gutter margin at left, huge margins at top and right, clear to large at bottom, two pen strokes, used on folded letter to the French Consulate at Honolulu, a list of French sailors with name, rank and ship, faint gum toning

VERY FINE. THE 1862 2-CENT NUMERAL ON GREENISH BLUE PAPER IS EXCEEDINGLY RARE ON A FULL COVER. THIS STAMP WITH AN 8-MILLIMETER GUTTER MARGIN IS EVIDENCE THAT PLATE 3-Gx HAD AT LEAST TWO DIFFERENT SIZES OF GUTTER.

Almost all of the on cover” examples of the 1862 2c on Greenish Blue paper are on pieces or fronts only from the Bishop correspondence. This full cover (a folded letter) comes from the French Consulate correspondence. The stamp, which is extremely rare on cover, is significant because the gutter margin at left is 8mm, while the gutter seen on a stamp in the Tows sale (lot 454A) is 4mm, proving that Plate 3-Gx had at least two sizes of gutter between columns.

Ex Honolulu Advertiser. With 1981 P.F. certificate (Image)

Search for comparables at SiegelAuctions.com

E. $ 5,000-7,500

SOLD for $6,500.00
Will close during Public Auction
48 ng Image1863, 1c Black, Grayish (15). Plate 4-A, Type III (Westerberg Position 3), unused (no gum), full even margins, Very Fine, ex Pietsch (Image)

Search for comparables at SiegelAuctions.com

$ 650.00

SOLD for $375.00
Will close during Public Auction
49 c Image1860, 2c Black, Grayish (16). Plate 3-C, Type VIII (Westerberg Position 8) with raised IN” of INTER”, large even margins all around, tied by full and bold strike of Lahaina Customs House seal in dark blue on folded cover to Bishop Maigret of the Catholic Mission at Honolulu, one flap missing

EXTREMELY FINE COVER AND A REMARKABLY DETAILED STRIKE OF THE LAHAINA CUSTOMS HOUSE SEAL USED AS A CANCELLATION. TRULY MAGNIFICENT QUALITY AND ONE OF THE MOST DESIRABLE OF ALL HAWAIIAN NUMERAL ISSUE COVERS.

This example is one of the finest strikes of the Lahaina Customs House seal on a Numeral cover. It is impressed in a crisp dark blue ink with every detail of the full-rigged ship showing at center. This marking was used by Cornelius S. Bartow, the Lahaina postmaster, before he received cancelling devices ordered through the Honolulu post office. In a letter to the postmaster-general, he refers to this provisional cancellation: Did you order a stamp for the department of this place? It seems to me to be very necessary, as I am now compelled to use the Custom House seal.”

Ex William H. Crocker, Caspary, Ishikawa and Honolulu Advertiser. With 1981 P.F. certificate (Image)

Search for comparables at SiegelAuctions.com

E. $ 20,000-30,000

SOLD for $18,500.00
Will close during Public Auction
50 c Image1860, 2c Black, Grayish (16). Plate 3-E, Type III (Westerberg Position 1), ample to huge margins including top sheet margin and 6.5mm of righthand gutter margin, tied by red Honolulu Hawaiian- Islands Aug. 1” (1860) circular datestamp on gray cover to Mrs. Gustav Reiners, Wailua Falls, Kauai, full clear strike of Forwarded by Melchers & Co. Honolulu” oval handstamp, short sealed tear in cover at right, minor tropical stained spots on cover and stamp

VERY FINE. THIS IS THE ONLY RECORDED NUMERAL ISSUE COVER WITH A HANDSTAMPED FORWARDER’S MARKING AND ONE OF TWO EXAMPLES OF THE MELCHERS & COMPANY OVAL.

According to Gregory, two German immigrants, Gustav C. Melchers and Gustav Reiners, established Melchers & Company in Hawaii in 1852. Melchers returned to Germany in the mid-1850s. Reiners returned to Germany in 1861, leaving the business in the hands of F. A. Schaefer, who bought out the other partners in 1867. Gregory records two examples of the Melchers & Co. oval: one on a newspaper wrapper to Europe and the other on the cover offered here.

Because mail-forwarders were entrusted primarily with letters sent between the islands and other countries, the use of inter-island stamps in conjunction with forwarder markings was extremely limited. We know of just two Numeral covers handled by forwarders, but only this cover received a handstamped forwarder’s marking before it was carried by inter-island schooner for Kauai. The other cover has a 2c Blue Numeral and manuscript notation on back indicating that Waterhouse & Co. forwarded the letter (ex Caspary).

Ex Honolulu Advertiser and Pietsch. With 1979 Friedl certificate (Image)

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E. $ 20,000-30,000

SOLD for $16,500.00
Will close during Public Auction
51 c Image1860, 2c Black, Grayish (16). Plate 3-F, Type V (Westerberg Position 5), ISLANI” variety, a very clear example with three huge margins showing part of frameline from adjoining stamp above, ample to large at bottom except at left where just into corner, tied by red Postage Paid” oval handstamp on folded cover made from school notebook paper, addressed to Levi Haalelea in Honolulu, bend in cover does not affect stamp and is not mentioned on certificate

VERY FINE. A VERY ATTRACTIVE NUMERAL ISSUE COVER AND THE ONLY RECORDED EXAMPLE OF THE ISLANI” VARIETY ON COVER.

This distinctive typographic variety is also found on Plate 3-F, Type III. It was caused by the semi-circle of D” failing to print.

The addressee, Liwai (Levi) Haalelea, was an important figure in Hawaiian history. His wife was Princess Kekauonohi, the granddaughter of Kamehameha I. She was one of the five wives of Kamehameha II and was present on the occasion of the famous meal at which the eating kapu was overturned and with it the entire kapu system in 1819. In 1828 she married Aaron Keliiahonui, son of Kaumualii, the last King of Kauai. One year after his death in 1849, she married Levi Haalelea. She died in Honolulu in June 1851.

Ex Worthington and Honolulu Advertiser. With 1995 P.F. certificate (Image)

Search for comparables at SiegelAuctions.com

E. $ 4,000-5,000

SOLD for $3,250.00
Will close during Public Auction

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